1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waste toner collector and an image forming apparatus using the same. The image forming apparatus includes copiers, printers, fax machines, and multi-function machines integrally incorporating copy, printing, and fax capabilities.
2. Discussion of the Background
Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, waste toner removed from a photoreceptor drum and an intermediate transfer belt by a cleaning device has been conveyed by a conveyance screw to be collected in a waste toner collecting container (see, for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-42789 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-128754).
A larger amount of waste toner can be contained with a larger volume of the waste toner collecting container. However, due to the recent demand for downsizing of image forming apparatuses, a space to dispose the waste toner collecting container is limited, and thus it is difficult to increase the size of the waste toner collecting container as a whole. Therefore, to effectively use an empty space in an image forming apparatus, there are many cases where the waste toner collecting container has a complicated outer shape with recesses and protrusions.
However, if the waste toner collecting container has a complicated outer shape with recesses and protrusions as in the conventional practice, it is difficult to distribute the waste toner over a wide area inside the waste toner collecting container. Thus, even when a large volume of the waste toner collecting container is secured, the waste toner is accumulated at a portion in the waste toner collecting container and cannot be sufficiently contained.